Quality

By adopting resource efficiency measures, the Indian PV solar manufacturing sector can reduce its material requirement from an estimated 12 million tons to 8.2 million tons by 2030. The resource-efficient approach will also increase efficiency to more than 30% from 6% in 2018, according to a study conducted under the European Union’s Resource Efficiency Initiative (EU-REI) Project.

German solar monitoring company SDS has announced a strategic partnership with developer iPLON India. The established Solar-Log system will help India’s drive to raise quality standards in PV.

“Profitable yet risky”: This was one of the findings of a recent study, released in July, conducted by PI Berlin on behalf of Germany’s National Metrology Institute (PTB) when examining six Indian PV projects from the viewpoint of project quality. The report’s author Asier Ukar spoke to pv magazine in advance of his presentation on the subject at the Quality Roundtable at the Renewable Energy India conference next week.

CLP India will acquire a 49% stake in Suzlon’s 50 MW and 20 MW solar projects in Dhule, Maharashtra. These two projects were won by Suzlon through competitive bidding in auctions by the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI). As per the power purchase agreement signed, the tariff rate is fixed for 25 years at 4.115 INR/kWh for 20 MW and 3.66 INR/kWh for 50 MW.

The award of the nation’s first solar project quality certificate may signal a renewed determination by the federal authorities to crack down on low-quality panels – with Far Eastern imports firmly in their sights.

Inspectors from solar risk management company PI Berlin visited six projects and exposed cost-cutting in installation, non-existent warranties, serious safety concerns and improbable performance figures.

India’s government must create a complete ecosystem to ensure the effective on-ground execution of its ambitious solar program, says Chakradhar Byreddy, Director–Renewable Energy, UL, Asia Pacific, during an interview with pv magazine. This includes investing in laboratory infrastructure, and skills for technical due diligence, energy yield assessment and forecasting.

MNRE head RK Singh delivers a lowdown on India’s current solar installations, recent policies that the government has initiated, and the customs issues with imported solar modules.

Vikalp Mundra, Joint MD and promoter of Ujaas Energy Ltd, speaks to pv magazine about the solar manufacturing and quality importance for India. The company has installed more than 200 MW of solar at utility-scale, rooftop, and residential. He also defended the Renewable Energy Certificate, but explained its drawbacks.

Last week’s Renewable Energy India exhibition was a busy, bustling affair that highlighted the rude health and impressive energy of India’s solar sector. There are still many hurdles to overcome, however, if India is to develop its own domestic manufacturing industry.